The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1887-04-22
wHArA COTTON FACTORY WILL DO

WHAT fAOTOH1
We coufess 10 feeling moro than ordinary in
terest in establishing cotton factory here, n,t
moro for the local advantages which will accrue
from Il than for tho important benefits Il will
necessarily dispense throughout the county.
The farmers, we think. are ., mreh, IL not
more, interested in bringing tho cotton factories
70 the cotton fields than any other class Of our
Southern people. No class has boon so griev-
ously oppressed or mercilessly robbei as they
have been BY the Northern and Foreign cotton
brokers aud spectators but 80 long rs the
mills and factories are SO far beyond their
reach, so long will they be powerless to resist
tho relentless combinations which control the
prices Of their staple production. Under the
present system Of marketing cotton the farmer
pays tribute at every step, from tho time the
buyer looks at his sample until the cotton
reaches the factories, thousands Of miles from
where it was raised. The weighing, the COM
mission for buying, draynge, freight, and innu-
mera bic othor expenses charged upon each bale.
are taken into consideration when the specula-
tors or brokers arrange and dictate tho prices
they will pay for II, and every item OF expense
the farmer is made to pay, in having that
amount deducted from the price it command,
at its final market.
There is but ono way by which the farmers
can relieve themselves of this oppressive burden,
and that il to build factories in their midst,
thereby creating homo competition for their
cotton, bringing tho fual or highest mar
ket within their reach and, in an important
degree, under their own control. As We said
last week, the competition betwccn factories for
supplies Of cotton last fall alv.ucei the price
from / to cent per pound. II, however
should DO remembered, that after tho factories
had secured their supplies, tbs price fell from
4 to Z ofa cent. There were not enough home
| factories TO tako oil the cotton Of the county
consequently, as soon rs they were out Of the
market, the ageuts Of the Northern factories
and speculators entered, reduced the prices
and controlled what remained on hand.
The Trough Shoals factory alone, we are
told, bought 5000 bales, at an average Of
Of a cent above tho market quotations. This
gavo the farmers who sold to the factory
$l.6s} bale moro than those who sold to
regular cotton buyers, or total save Of
nearly $500 upon the 5000 bales. Now
had there been o factory in this county
requiring 5000 bales more, is il not plain ha
the aggregate save to the farmers would hav,
been $4,000.
We have appealed to the people of the
town Of Union 10 do something to stop tn,
drain that is carrying busine,, from them; ",
now appeal to the formers Of the county tc
join with us in establishing o Cotton Factory
that will give them homo market, compsti
| tion for thsr cotton, insure TO them the high
est market price, aud, what is better still,
mako them, In great measure, Independent
OF tho corrupt and oppressive foreign oombi-
nations which now establish tho prices Of thei,
cotton, before IL is made, and opli1c the mar
ket to suit their avariee and speculating
schemes. ....
We ask our farmer friends to think seri-
ously Of this matter, and next Salssdsy meot
with US and give their fellow Iitizsns the
benefit Of their counsel.